NBC News asked a voter who labeled himself a conservative why he voted the way he did the Ohio House special election. He answered that if Republicans weren’t going to put a brake on Trump, voters would vote for Democrats who would.
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The election between state Sen. Troy Balderson (R) and Franklin County recorder Dan O’Connor (D) is closer than anyone thought it would be in a district that has a lean of Republican (+7) and has gone red in every election but one since 1939.
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The reason why this election is so close came down to one simple message that a white conservative Democratic told MSNBC, “This is really more about sending a message, you know. I mean, the Republicans have to wake up. If they are not going to be a brake on this guy, then we vote for the other side. I think a lot of people are really scared.”
White Working Class Voters Are Swinging Away From Trump
The race in Ohio-12 is eerie similar to the special election in Pennsylvania-18 that Democrat Conor Lamb won. Republicans are dumping unheard of sums of cash into a white working class district that Trump won by double digits less than two years earlier. The Democrat in the race is a fresh face who is focused on local issues and the concerns of voters. The Republican is an uninspiring candidate who is running as Donald Trump’s mini-me, who some Republicans complain did not raise enough money or put in much face to face time with voters as he should have.
Donald Trump won this district by 11 points. Trump and Pence both campaigned for the Republican candidate, but the race is a dead heat. The Ohio voter had it right. Voters know that there is something not right with Trump, and they want a check put on him. Danny O’Connor ran a local based campaign by the issue of checking Trump is at the front of the minds of many voters as they head to the polls.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
